Her own path
by AquaBolt
Summary: A young human woman's first steps on the path of a warrior.


The early morning sunlight shone in through the window. It crawled across the floor and climbed up the side of the bed, resting on the pale face of a young human lass. Slowly a dark green eye opened and scanned the room. Moving painfully slow the lass rose from her bed and stepped on to the floor. Avoiding the floor boards that creaked the maiden carefully dressed, packed a few essentials into a bag and jotted down a quick note.

Looking over the note the lass, May, couldn't help but feel dissatisfied with it. It sounded cold, distant. _There is no nice way of saying 'I'm running away because I want to become a warrior' is there? _May sighed. The note at least explained that May could not just sit by in Stormwind, as a domesticated house wife and do nothing while the world was in turmoil and dangers threatened her home. May picked up her quill and added a little bit to the note before signing it and leaving it on her pillow. _ Sorry mom and dad… but I refuse to sit idle._ Quietly May climbed out her first story window and out into Stormwind, heading towards the Pig and Whistle.

Doug Maxim looked up as the pub door opened and smiled as May Silvas entered the bar. While most young ones that wanted to become warriors went to the nearby barracks to learn the basic arts of armed and unarmed combat, Doug taught those that needed to learn the warrior arts in private and could not pay the small fee the barracks charged, because they did not have the blessings of their parents. Most of his students were the children of mages or merchants. But not May, her father had been a foot solider in the Third war and had lost an arm to an Orc, or so the story went, since Tomas Silvas refused to speak of the incident. If that weren't bad enough, May was the only daughter born to a family of six children, so her father and mother were very protective of her.

Doug had high hopes with May. Unlike his other students, most had no idea what they were getting into and thought they would gain fame and treasure from their life as a warrior and 'adventurer', May realized she would be seen as a courier/ errand person in armour for the most part and probably lose a limb or two, or come very close to it. She knew she'd spend many a night sleeping outside, and when she did find an inn, just because they offered free rooms to adventurers did not mean those rooms and beds would be comfortable, and that their meals would be free.

"So today is the big day, huh?" Doug asked, pushing himself away from the bar.

"Yep. Do you think I'm ready Doug?"

"Certainly, don't worry you'll do fine. Besides all 'young' adventurers go to a post training area, for us humans its Northshire abbey and the surrounding area. A taste of reality to those who need it, but a good starting point for those, like yourself that just need a foot hold."

"Ah." May said, following the tall human male into the back. In the back of the Pig and Whistle was a training area that served Doug in his training duties. Going to his chest, Doug pulled out an old shield and sword. Relying on donations to buy gear did not make buying gear for young ones or newbies as they were affectionately called, easy.

While May strapped the scabbard to her belt and strapped the shield to her back Doug got out a small bag.

"Inside is your identification as a warrior, and a hearthstone. A hearth stone can be bound to any alliance or neutral inn in the land and teleport you there in an instant. You have to wait an hour after using before using it again. Also a 'quest' log. It automatically writes down the details of any errands or 'quests' you'll have. The colour of the ink will tell the difficulty. Gray for trivial, green easy, yellow and orange for normal and red for hard."

"Alright." May said, taking the bag.

"No more thing… "Doug murmured a spell softly and purple glow moved through May from head to toe before disappearing.

"Um.. What in the Twisting Nether was that?"

"That was a spell that will enable to talk mentally to other adventurers. Useful most of the time, but unfortunately some adventurers use it to annoy."

"Great."

"Well May, that all I can do for you. I wish you luck."

"Thank you Doug. Until I see you again." May smiled, waving and heading back into Stormwind.

May blinked shocked at the sheer amount of people in Northshire. Everyone from mages and warlocks to warriors and paladins ran around the Abbey. Not just humans either, she saw a gnome or two, a few dwarves and even a night elf.

"Trying to get good standing with Stormwind." A voice beside May spoke. May jumped and turned. The armoured guard laughed softly, "Sorry about that. The reason other races are here is that they are trying to get a better standing with us Humans." the guard explained. May couldn't see his mouth, but his blue eyes twinkled like he was smiling. The badge on his shirt said he was Deputy.

"I'm Deputy Willem. From your gear I'm judging you are a warrior."

"Yep, I'm May."

"Ah, nice to meet to you. I know this sounds silly with all these people here, but we need all the help we can get. Since the main army is off fighting the horde in distant land baddies have been pouring out of their dark places. You should see Marshal McBride for your first assignment. He is inside the Abbey." May nodded and headed inside.

Marshal McBride was a bald man with a blond moustache. Despites his worries he was a smiling fellow and was gentle with the 'newbies'. He sent May to kill kobolds that were increasing in the number nearby. May turned to leave when the Marshal stopped her.

"Wait a moment, I almost forgot. I don't suppose your trainer told you about levelling, did he?"

"No Sir, what's that?"

"As you kill things and complete quests you will gain experience. And when, as far as we know, the gods decide that you have enough experience, you gain a level."

May must have made an odd face because McBride laughed softly.

"You see what I mean. With levelling though mean the ability to use better weapons and armour, so keep that in mind."

"I will sir. Thank you."

May growled softly. "I don't want your damned candle!" she growled, running through a kobold. That's when it happened. A pillar of light hit her out of nowhere, knocking her flat on her bum. A nearby mage helped her up.

"What in all creation…" May muttered shaking her head.

"Welcome to Level two. " The Mage grinned, laughing a little.

"Oh… So that's what McBride meant. Not sure I liked that."

The mage laughed again, "I'm told we'll get to the point of going to extremes to level. It gets less shocking. Anyway, happy hunting." The mage waved, going back to killing wolves.

May did her best to sneak along the grape vines before grabbing the next bushel of grapes before the Defias thug saw her. _ This is not what I was expecting._ May had to admit, it was anything but dull. She'd done everything from gather grapes and kill wolves (May wasn't too fond of killing wolves, she said a soft prayer after each death.) to kills Defias members and assinate there leader for the Northshire area. Grabbing the last bunch, May ran towards Milly Osworth, just avoiding the Defias.

"Oh thank you so much! Can I ask one more favour?"

May resisted the urge to roll her eyes and nodded, "Certainly."

"Could you take my grape manifest to Brother Neals? He manages the food and drink for Northshire. He's at the top of the bell tower." There was some hesitation in her voice, May had a feeling that Brother Neals enjoyed a bit too much of the wine.

_Whatever gets us through the dark times I guess. _ May thought to herself heading up the stairs to the bell tower. She right in thinking Brother Neals was a drunk. He reeked of wine, and although he spoke with no slur or other sign of drunkenness the cloak he gave as a rewards with covered in wine stains. By this time the sky was getting dark and May headed to the sleeping area to secure a bed before they were all gone.

_Well… It's nothing exciting, but at least I'm here by _


End file.
